Shortly past 8 p.m. last Saturday, a teenager, disguised in a white hoodie, exited Hotel Alamada and walked approximately 50 meters to Plaza Morelos in Uruapan, a city in western Mexico known as the avocado capital of the world. The target of this teenage assassin was Mayor Carlos Manzo, who gained national attention for confronting armed organized crime groups in power struggles over territory in his region.
Carrying a 9-mm Beretta handgun, the assassin navigated through the crowds at Plaza Morelos during the Festival of Candles, where families with children were gathered for the local Day of the Dead celebrations. Video surveillance released by local authorities depicted the assassin closing in on Mayor Manzo, who was also dressed in white, accompanied by his family, and engaging with the crowd.
The assassin fired seven shots at Mayor Manzo before the mayor’s federal government-assigned bodyguards reacted belatedly with lethal force. This tragic event sparked protests throughout Michoacan, a state known for producing limes and avocados.
The State Attorney General of Michoacan, Carlos Torres Piña, leading the investigation, identified the deceased assassin as 17-year-old Víctor Manuel Ubaldo Vidales from Paracho, Michoacan, located about 40 km north of Uruapan. Ubaldo Vidales, reportedly addicted to methamphetamines, was under the influence of methamphetamines and THC during the assassination. Ballistics tests revealed that the weapon used by Ubaldo Vidales had been previously involved in three fatal incidents last month.
Mayor Manzo’s assassination has stirred deep emotions among the populace of Michoacan, leading to protests and demonstrations not only in Uruapan but also reaching Mexico City, 400 kilometers to the east. Francisco Garcia Davish, the founder of Quadratin Mexico, described the public response as an unprecedented social rebellion against political assassinations.
The violence in the demonstrations, including attacks on state and municipal buildings, prompted Mayor Manzo’s widow, Grecia Quiroz, to urge peaceful protests in a video statement shared on social media. She emphasized the need for justice while advocating for peaceful and civilized demonstrations in memory of her late husband.
Manzo, recognized as an honest and brave mayor, stood out for his firm stance against organized crime groups in a region plagued by violence and corruption. His death marked a significant loss for Michoacan and triggered concerns about the prevailing insecurity and corruption in the state.